Workers said that they were required to work extremely long hours and were housed to cramped, undignified conditions, often sharing beds while fearing reprisals if they complained or left their jobs.
By Dulce Amor Rodriguez
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Filipino migrant workers won a major legal victory after a Dutch court ruled that an Amsterdam luxury gym deceived them with false promises of legal work permits, a practice rights groups said enabled labor exploitation.
Migrante Netherlands welcomed the December 16 decision of Amsterdam District Court, which found that Saint & Stars Gym falsely assured migrant cleaners that they would receive valid work authorization to recruit and control their labor.
The groups said that the ruling affirmed the workers’ assertion that deception formed the basis of their employment, leaving them vulnerable to abuse, excessive work hours, and the constant threat of detention or deportation.
Former cleaners earlier filed labor complaints after authorities found them working without proper permits during inspections at several Saints & Stars branches in Amsterdam.
Workers said that they were required to work extremely long hours and were housed to cramped, undignified conditions, often sharing beds while fearing reprisals if they complained or left their jobs.
Migrante Netherlands said that the gym’s false promises stripped workers of meaningful consent and created conditions of coercion, a pattern that advocates say remains common among migrant labor arrangements in Europe.
The group described the ruling as a landmark win for Filipino migrant workers at a time when immigration policies across the Netherlands and the European Union have grown more restrictive.
“Instead of protection, exploited migrant workers who expose abuse are often met with deterrents, legal uncertainty, and the constant threat of detention or deportation,” Migrante said.
Labor inspections earlier this year led to arrests related to document irregularities, prompting broader scrutiny of recruitment practices at the gym.
Dutch prosecutors previously said that evidence was insufficient to pursue human trafficking charges, a decision rights advocates criticized for downplaying coercive labor conditions.
Migrante Netherlands said that the court ruling challenges that narrative by recognizing deception as central to the exploitation workers endured. They urged Dutch authorities to strengthen enforcement of labor standards and ensure that court decisions result in lasting protections.
“We call on the Dutch government to end practices and abolish policies that criminalize migrant workers while they allow abusive employers to escape accountability,” they said. “We call on the Dutch public to continue supporting the struggle of the Filipino workers until they achieve full justice.” (DAA)
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